“In The Dead Of The Night” at the Landor Theatre

It’s always good to be able to report on musical theatre initiatives which seem genuinely innovative, and it was fascinating to hear about a new work being premiered at London’s Landor Theatre in April – In The Dead Of The Night.

In the Dead of Night, a play by Claudio Macor will run from 22nd April to 16th May and will be directed by the playwright.

Acclaimed actress Judith Paris (Doctor Who, The Devils, The Rainbow) will play fading femme fatale Elvira, opposite Ned Wolfgang Kelly as her younger paramour Falchi. Noted character actor Ian Dring is to play the reptilian Martinez. Tristan Robin has been cast as enigmatic drifter Raul, paired with Susannah Allman as Elvira’s protégé Rita. Jordan Alexander will play gigolo Massimo and Matt Mella takes the role of mob boss’s son Leandro. Javier Garcia, Danny Harris, Joshua Clare and Rhiane Drummond complete the ensemble.

In the Dead of Night brings the classic dark, steamy atmosphere of film noir to the stage in this
tale of eroticism, murder, and power. In a shady South American town at the end of World War II, a gloomy underworld of crime and corruption pulses to a Latin rhythm. Set in a dockside bar, a black and white world of life and death bursts into colour with its coterie of characters – both gay and straight – under the watch of femme fatale, Elvira. Unencumbered by the strict censorship of the original 1940s film noir genre, and with the addition of sensual dance sequences, In the Dead of Night expresses desires and deeds never allowed on screen at that time.

“With In the Dead of Night, playwright Claudio Macor (The Tailor-Made Man, Venetian Heat) has set out to show all the gritty reality of the film noir genre freed from the restrictions of the infamous Hollywood Production Code of the 30s and 40s,” says producer Andrea Leoncini “In this play, passionate love between both straight and gay couples is shown openly, dialogue is frank, and crime is seen to pay. Adding to the sense of passion and drama, Macor has woven in scenes of sensuous dance which highlight the erotic tensions and formerly forbidden love”.

Choreography of the dance sequences will be by Anthony Whiteman (Bel Ami) and, in true film noir style, composer Paul Boyd (Molly Wobbly) is creating an original score for the play’s incidental music and dance.